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The points of difference can vary based on the nature of the company, its resources or the industry in which it operates.

Multinational corporations which possess vast resources, as is the case of Starbucks, are more and more focused on social and environmental responsibility in an effort to create points of difference. They promote the development and well-being of the communities in which they operate and they strive to improve their social corporate responsibility programs.

In line with this tendency, economic agents come to place more emphasis on ethical behavior as a means of responding to the threat of more social pressure from the communities. This emerges as a competitive strength as Starbucks is committed to ethical behavior in the relationship with all of its stakeholder categories -- employees, business partners, customers and the general public.

The organization has generally kept a reasonable distance between itself and ethical problems. It has become committed to promoting ethics through their Business Ethics and Compliance program, which informs all employees of the company's ethical conduct norms.

"Business Ethics and Compliance is a program that supports Our Starbucks Mission and helps protect our culture and our reputation by providing resources that help partners make ethical decisions at work" (Website of Starbucks, 2011).

All in all, Starbucks is one of the most successful and reputable companies and brands in the United States, as well as across the globe.The organization is characterized by a wide array of strengths which help it transform the threats into opportunities. As for the future of Starbucks, this remains to be seen in correlation with the company's ability to overcome the current challenges. The prospects nonetheless seem positive as the company would use its resources and expertise to overcome the challenges raised by the competitive pressures, the current state of the economy or the dependency on investors.

References:

Ferrell, O.C., Hirt, G.A., Ferrell, L., 2006, Business: a changing world, 5th edition, McGraw- Hill / Irwin

Starbucks 2010 Annual Report, Starbucks, http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9NzkzODl8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM=&t=1 last accessed on November 7, 2011

2011, Business ethics and compliance, Starbucks, http://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/business-ethics-and-compliance last accessed on November 7, 2011

2011, NASDAQ 100, NASDAQ, http://www.nasdaq.com/markets/indices/nasdaq-100.aspx last accessed on November 7, 2011

2011, Stock Quote, Starbucks Investor, http://investor.starbucks.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99518&p=irol-stockQuote last accessed on November 7, 2011

2011, The industry handbook: the retailing industry, Investopedia, http://www.investopedia.com/features/industryhandbook/retail.asp#axzz1d0S1p58b last accessed on November 7, 2011.....